great stuff for dogs!

We are frequently asked for advice from caring pet owners as to what products we would recommend for particular aspects of their pet's care. Having been the guardians of 60 dogs over the past 18 years, we are reasonably well qualified to assess whether or not a product is worth the money; but having spent literally thousands of dollars on everything ranging from grooming tools to bedding, we have been surprised at just how few really good items are out there. Of course, our standards for durability might be a little different from your average pet owners', but that does mean that we have a definite preference for quality. So in the hope that it might assist you, here are a list of our specific recommendations of really great dog stuff. Click on the pictures for links to product websites or suppliers.

water fountain

Providing fresh water for dogs is way more critical than most owners imagine. If you have more than one dog, getting a drink of another's saliva is an unfortunate certainty of sharing a bowl, or even getting a backwash of your own drool. Most watering bowls can all too quickly become a disease trap waiting to happen. Hagen

Dogit water fountains are the perfect solution. We use all three of the available model for different locations, with two of the giant 10.5 L ones just for the kitchen. The Alfresco outdoor model is best avoided as it's very difficult to clean, but the 6 L model shown here is ideal for a normal household, and even owners with only one dog who want to ensure their pet has clean fresh water will really appreciate this fountain. It looks great too!

hands free walking belt

This product revolutionized the way we were able to walk the dogs. I'd seen many versions of a walking belt and not been at all impressed, before I came across these. I was frustrated by the thin fabric used, uncomfortable fit, poor quality stitching, lack of padding, and obvious lack of real strength and durability in the mass produced products.

White Pine Outfitters hand make their belts. We've had the heavy duty model for seven years and used it loads. When I'm using it, I've had three remarkably strong pulling Huskies attached at any one time with no chaffing, no wear upon the belt and perfect comfort and ease for me. The belt looked great to begin with and remarkably, still looks as good as the day I bought it. It's superb.

enduring id tags

ID tags present us with a real challenge. Not only do we need them in bucket loads, they all too easily get bitten and chewed to illegibility as part of some of the rougher dogs play. Plus, for the most part, they tend to look cheap and nasty.

Red Dingo tags are, for our money, the best tags you can buy without paying silly money for designer end titanium. They're not cheap, but they are very high quality, highly durable and they look great. The range of designs and colours is both broad and exciting (although of course all of ours have this precise design) and the engraving is clear and wears well. In a household where destroying another's tag is a sport, we've had a couple wear out, but Red Dingo replaced them without question. What more can you ask?

everlasting collar

I'll be honest. I'm fussy about collars. I like bright bold patterns adorning our dog's necks, and I also like each animal to have his or her own unique individual attire. But I also like the collars to be resilient enough to cope with the strongest pullers and tough enough to handle the inevitable assaults from other dogs intent on chewing their playmate's neck decor. And did I mention that a free replacement (even if chewed) guarantee is also essential?

Over the years we've tried dozens of brands, and the best by far is Lupine. With others the material is poor, the colours fade, the clasps break. There are a whole host of faults. We use Lupine Martingale collars like the one depicted here (which Briony wears) and they last, and last. Unlike other brands, we have never needed to replace a Lupine. In fact my only complaint is that our sheer numbers long ago outstripped their range of patterns, which they update/add to with a disappointing lack of frequency.

walking harness

We've owned more than our share of world class pullers. Most anybody who's ever owned a Husky has. Initially we tried Halti's and various other gimmicky products to try to make their natural instincts manageable, but the claims made for most never seemed to amount to much and we found ourselves constantly disappointed.

Ezy Dog products are not cheap, but they have been designed by somebody who truly understands canine ergonomics. Many of their products are first class not only in design, but also quality of materials used and construction. This simple little breast plate design harness makes even our most difficult Huskies manageable. The dogs seem to find them very comfortable and the clasps do not cause any chaffing. Needless to say, one size does not fit all, so make sure you get one that is a good fit for your 'tug'!

non slip backpack

I swear this is not just me being lazy, but isn't it a good thing for a dog to carry it's own stuff on a hike, especially if it's a pulling monster with a private drag-you-off-your-feet agenda? I think so. For years our dogs have carried their own water, bowls and snacks, but for years their backpacks would slip all over the place and create uncomfortable weight imbalance.

Then Ezy Dog and their awesome understanding of doggie ergonomics stepped in. Using the similar breast plate system to the harness above, this backpack is quite simply the only one on the market that I have found works. Enough said. I'll let you discover the excellent range of features and amazing capacity for yourself. Just remember not to overload your poor dog with your stuff too. That is lazy!

portable water bowl

Way before silicone dog bowls became common items, Tazlab had invented this superb portable bowl, that is still as unique and special as when it was first created. Designed to function as both a bowl and a bucket, it folds as perfectly as if it were a piece of origami to take up the smallest amount of space in a backpack (human or doggy). It's lightweight, durable, comes in a variety of colours, and if mine is anything to go by, it's pretty much everlasting. But perhaps most importantly, it doesn't collapse when you put the water in, as so many other styles of bowl do. For serious hiking that requires you to have a ready and easily assemble-able vessel for your dog's water needs, its quite simply perfection. The downside is that it seems to be out of stock everywhere as I write this, apart from in Australia, so there is no link from the picture. It's worth a hunt though.

safe seatbelt harness

I'd like to point out for starters that our dogs DO NOT ride on the front seat as the one in this picture is, but when they're on the back seats, we do prefer them to have seatbelt harnesses on. Standard harnesses all too often rely upon neck control, or the flimsiest of chest attachments, either of which can lead to nasty injuries for the dog in the event of an accident.

These vestharnesses go considerably further than the norm, providing fully padded neck, chest and stomach coverage , and an anchor point to the car seatbelt that distributes weight evenly in the even of a collision, minimising risk of injury and maximising protection. On a hot day, your dog might find the fleece padding makes them rather hot, but this is nothing that can't be controlled with air conditioning, and is surely offset by both the comfort and the sheer protection afforded by this unparalleled seatbelt harness.

leash collar

I bought this product for Indiana Jones because he was the only dog we had who could be walk in utter safety off leash. Nonetheless, I wanted to have the ability to grab a hold of him if needs be without having to fumble for attaching a leash to his collar. So this Bamboo Quick Control collar was the perfect solution.

I seldom had to use it, but when I did, it was remarkably strong, effective and comfortable for both of us, even for extended periods.

I hope that one day we'll have a dog as trustworthy as he was again so that it can come back into service. It's an excellent product.

pet stretcher

It would be my fondest wish for pet owners everywhere that they would never need products like these next two. For us, with so many dogs, with so many issues, they are a must.

We first needed a stretcher when my father and I had to carry a collapsed Leonberger down a mountain. I had to race many kilometers on foot then in the car, and spend a long and potentially crucial amount of time fetching it. Of course after that we bought one. Sadly, it's been used many times since and served us very well. Made from tough ballistic nylon with mercifully padded handles, if you get one big enough, it can handle pretty much any size of dog, yet it folds small enough to always carry with you. It can even take the weight of humans if need be. By no means an essential, but...

support sling

It's a sad fact that towards the end of their lives, many dogs loose the ability to use their back legs. Seeing them totter and stagger to perform even the most basic of bodily functions can be heartrending, but offering support can be difficult and uncomfortable for them. There are many products to help keep their rear end up, and different sorts are appropriate for different conditions. Our favourite is this one, the K9 Caddie. It's a good general purpose support sling, very easy to slip under a dog's belly, thickly padded to ensure maximum comfort, easy for either one or two people to hold, it has adjustable handles for different heights and it's very strong. Ours has been invaluable.

super absorbent dog mats

When we were in the UK we used an absorbent 'Turtle Mat' at the back door in the kitchen. It trapped most of the water brought in by the dogs as they entered the house from the garden, but we only had six dogs then. It takes something way more powerful to cope with 45...

Enter Soggy Doggy Mats: Huge, super absorbent, durable, very high quality, and looks great. We use these mats to both protect the floor in wet weather, and as bath mats after the dogs have been washed. Their ability to absorb water is uncanny and even with repeated washing, they still look great. They are soft and comfy, and if we let them, the dogs will use them as beds. Very highly recommended.

dog towels

Forget towels. On a day when you are having to deal with soaking wet dogs, there's nothing more effective than these Super Shammys from Soggy Doggy.

Very affordable and only about three feet long (this picture shows the reverse where you place your hands) one of these can easily cope with 5 or 6 of our soaking dogs.

On wet days, we keep a few by the back door, and filter the dogs through for a rub down before letting them into the house. The shammy retains the water, but pop it in the dryer, and it's ready to go again in no time at all. It's remarkable!

soothing music for dogs

We've long been aware of and utilised the soothing effects of music upon our pets, but the 'Through A Dog's Ear' series by Lisa Spector takes it to a new level of science. Without going into all the ins-and-outs of how they work (which are amply explained upon her website), this business produces a variety of CDs intended to assist our canine (and feline) companions in coping with the stresses of the world around them. There are numerous, for numerous disorders. We can attest to the value of the 3 volume 'Calm Your Canine' series which are not only effective, but pleasant for human listening too.